


Timing

by kjonginexo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, ChanKai, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, kaiyeol - Freeform, so much pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 03:30:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11394462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjonginexo/pseuds/kjonginexo
Summary: Chanyeol fell in love with Jongin, everything was right about it except the timing.I once again really like what I wrote here.





	Timing

**Author's Note:**

> i got the timelines fucked up but go with it

Park Chanyeol had never been a guy to get jealous or feel envious over anybody. He never had a reason to feel those two things, he’s a confident outgoing bubbly guy who has guys falling for him left and right. None of those suitors peeked his interest, but it let him know he was good looking and obtained an attractive personality. Chanyeol believed that if he were to fall in love, his heart would choose the right person. He didn’t think about timing though, he put that far in the back of his mind.

He hadn’t ever been in love with anybody, his feelings he had for people were mostly just crushes and he dated them for a short time before seeing that his heart didn’t truly call to him. It made many of his exes hate him, but he figured _‘c’est la vie.’_ That’s life. It’s life that his heart didn’t connect deep enough with any of the men he had dated, it’s life that his heart hadn’t chosen to love.

The deepest he felt with anybody was with a guy, he dated him for a year but the minute the other mentioned love, his heart didn’t register the emotion. So, Chanyeol carried his easy going personality anywhere it took him, talking to people and displaying the right amount of charm to make them befriend him. His looks helped as well, averagely full reddish lips, milky skin, shaggy curly black hair, brown eyes, a towering height of 6’1 and gangly arms and thin legs. He was rather attractive, which he knew. Chanyeol, wrapped in his rather mellow self confidence never let himself rush into being with someone, because if his heart knew, he’d follow. Though, he never once thought about timing when he felt his heart pick up its pace and make him think about the man he would soon be too deeply in love with.

He met the man a year ago, dancing alone in a bar. The lights were dim, but he could feel his heart skip a beat just at the sight of him alone. Bronze skin, dyed blonde hair that was now sweat matted, pouty full lips curled into a smile and pressed around the salted rim of his bottled beer. Tight tee that showed his tone abs off, tight black skinny jeans that sat snug over his ass and made his thighs look ravishing, and converse.

Chanyeol’s lips parted, slightly in disbelief that someone that beautiful had really existed in this world and he had been alive at the same time as this person. He watched for a few more moments until a shorter guy walked out next to him, hands gripping the other’s hips and slowly leaned into one another. Chanyeol took the hint as they were together, but it wasn’t going to stop him from being friends. He ignored the way his heart was racing nervously, full of adrenaline to be so close to the other man. He was stubbornly finding a way to have this person in his life, he wasn’t going to give up until it was done.

“Hi, I’m Chanyeol. I saw you both dancing and you’re both really good dancers.” The smaller guy eyed him suspiciously, but the one he’d been interested him shot him a shy smile, turning to face him. “Oh, thank you so much. I’m Jongin, this is my boyfriend Kyungsoo. Are you interested in dance?” Chanyeol wasn’t, he really wasn’t, but he knew a white lie would be in place if it got _Jongin_ to be his friend. “Yeah, a bit.” Jongin smiled, taking Chanyeol’s phone out of his pocket and added his contact in immediately. “Text me, I give lessons. Nice to meet you, Chanyeol.” Once again, he ignored the way his heart was practically screaming with excitement to get Jongin’s number. He ignored how his heart had already chosen another whose heart was currently on reserve. Chanyeol never realized how important timing was until a year later, painfully listening to his heart that Jongin was supposed to be his one.

 

Chanyeol envied Kyungsoo, he gathered that they had only been together for six months, Chanyeol wished every day he came six months earlier. He wished he managed to sweep up the heart of Kim Jongin, and had him be loving him instead of Do Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo, a living pain in Chanyeol’s ass. A constant reminder of what’s standing in the way between his heart's pleading message and happiness. Jongin was basically Chanyeol’s best friend next to Sehun, and Sehun simply looked over at Chanyeol sympathetically every time Jongin and Kyungsoo held hands, kissed, hugged, even touched.

Sehun described Chanyeol as looking like a ‘lost puppy’ when the two interact in any sort of way that Chanyeol wanted to do with  Jongin. He absolutely hated what his heart had done to him, hated how he didn’t stop himself that night from getting Jongin’s number, and even more so, he hated the way he knew that Jongin and him would be better together. Jongin and Chanyeol seem to get along better than Jongin and Kyungsoo, in his own opinion. Jongin is goofy, fun spirited, a tad shy, funny, sweet, adorable, and when he does get serious it’s expressed in a softer way to insure comfort to the other person.

Kyungsoo was always serious, he rarely did laugh and seemed to get embarrassed anytime Jongin did. Jongin laughed all the time, Kyungsoo was why he stopped laughing every time. Chanyeol absolutely hated that since he thought Jongin’s laugh was like honey swirling into a cup of tea and melting into sweetness. He knew he would let Jongin be exactly himself without a single shred of embarrassment. Kyungsoo recoils from Jongin’s PDA, Chanyeol would embrace and even return it. He overall knew he’d be better for Jongin but Jongin didn’t seem to know and he wasn’t going to start becoming a home wrecker.

Chanyeol sat with his knees bent up and a gallon of vanilla ice cream pressed against his chest and knees. A large spoon dipped into it to scoop out what he pleased and swallowed it down as his eyes were focused intensely on the movie. It was some American movie, he was barely reading the subtitles but it was something involving a notebook. It was supposed to be sad, and recently sad movies had become a genre he was into. He heard a knock on his door, a rather quiet one.

Chanyeol stood up, not caring about the holes in his sweats as he walked over to his apartment door, unlocking it to see Jongin. Jongin stood in front of him with a red tipped nose, puffy eyes, red cheeks, swollen lips. “Jongin, what’s wrong?” Jongin sniffled, shaking his head and walked over to Chanyeol to lay his head on Chanyeol’s chest. “We got into a fight. I need somewhere to sleep until this blows over tomorrow morning.”

Chanyeol’s heart tugged horribly, it was a yearning to hold Jongin safely there forever and protect him from all the fights they had. They fought so often, every two weeks there was a fight which always left Jongin devastated until two days later they were fine, like nothing had happened. Chanyeol’s larger arms wrapped around Jongin’s smaller waist, rubbing his back softly with gentle ‘shh’s’ to soothe the shorter man.

“You’ll always have a place with me, come on in.” He very hesitantly let go of the other, ignoring his heart screaming at him to hold him again. Jongin stepped in the apartment and looked around, as if it were his first time being here. Chanyeol shut the door behind them and gently walked over to Jongin, delicately resting his hand on the small of his back. “I have some clothes you can wear, and we’ll do whatever you want okay?” Jongin looked up at Chanyeol and finally a glimpse of a smile appeared on his lips. “Thank you, Yeollie. You’re the best.”

He sat back down on the couch after watching Jongin for a few seconds too long wipe at his eyes and walk into his room. It was awful for him to think, Chanyeol knew, but every time Kyungsoo and him fought, apart of him wanted them to break up. He wanted them to break up so he can be the emotional crutch for Jongin so he can move on and realize Chanyeol is everything Jongin could want in a person, how well they’d be together. Then his mind snaps him back into reality that if Jongin was happy, that would be all that really mattered to him. He could hurt over and over, watch as many sad movies and ate ice cream, ignore the aching longing pain in his heart that sat dull and grew sharp, if it meant Jongin was happy. Chanyeol wasn’t sure if Jongin was happy, fighting like this all the time and recoiling back into a shell of a person he didn’t seem to be, but Chanyeol felt like Jongin could be trusted to take care of himself.

The other came back out in one of his hoodies and sweats, his heart skipped a beat as a small breath felt out of place in his throat. He looked at the other’s messy hair, and even though he was crying, Chanyeol thought he looked beautiful regardless. Jongin took a seat next to him on the couch, eyeballing the movie as they now rowed themselves in from the rain on the boat. His warmer soft brown eyes looked over at Chanyeol’s ice cream back in its spot against his chest.

Chanyeol knew this was going to look suspicious, him watching some sad American movie while binge eating ice cream, but just because Jongin was over didn’t mean he was going to stop doing his ‘being sad over Jongin’ routine. “Are you happy, Chanyeol?” Jongin said quietly, he could feel his gaze on him to which Chanyeol felt slightly uncomfortable with since he knew it was a pressing gaze.

He wasn’t happy, he spent everyday miserable, stuck with an agonizing want that his heart would not let up on no matter how hard he tried. Though, outside of Sehun, he managed to smoothly say he was fine, happy, great, okay, any synonym of happy he could find. “I’m fine, are you though?” He finally looked over to the other who was now biting on his bottom lip. A habit he had since Chanyeol had met him, a habit that he does when he’s nervous.

Jongin laughs when he’s nervous in a good way, but in this instance he was nervous in a bad way. “I don’t think so, no. Kyungsoo is… mean. I tell myself over and over again that he doesn’t mean it. It’s not like we even love each other or whatever it’s only six months, but he’s been my friend before then and he wasn’t mean. We fight over everything, we fought tonight over that I was out at work late and he said I was cheating on him which could literally be the farthest from the truth. Last fight we had, it was because I didn’t clean up something small, and it escalated. So, I don’t know Chanyeol. I don’t think I am. Maybe it’s a rough spot though.”

Jongin spilled out, only managing two single breaths in between his sentences. Chanyeol set the ice cream aside and scoot over to engulf Jongin in a hug. He wanted to so badly tell him that someone loves him, someone loves him so much and is willing to give everything to him if it meant he got to smile, and that someone was Chanyeol. Instead, he held him and recited those thoughts in his head as “you deserve to be happy,” fell from his lips.

 

The next day they were okay again, the smiles from Jongin seemed to be less genuine and so were the smiles from Kyungsoo, but if they were so insistent on being okay he wouldn’t bother to press. His eyes were glued onto the couple who were holding hands, exchanging knowing looks at each other that seemed to be their own way of talking. It made Chanyeol hurt, it drove him crazy and made him physically sick that he couldn’t be that way with Jongin.

He watched as Kyungsoo leaned over to ghost a kiss to Jongin’s cheek, and watched the way Jongin’s lips curled into a very faint smile and looking away. Chanyeol wanted to kiss his cheek, make that smile wider and shine brighter than the sun like he knows the smile can extend to. He shook his gaze away, feeling the slight wetness well in his eyes as he locked them down to the beer in between his fingers. A hand clamped on his shoulder, a familiar one that felt like Sehun’s.

He blinked away his tears and looked up to see Sehun, smiling down that sympathetic smile which made Chanyeol stand up abruptly, gathering everyone’s attention. Baekhyun looked at him, a gentle voice “you okay?” Chanyeol looked over at him, giving him the best false smile he could muster and cleared his throat that was threatening to crack. “Yeah, need air.” He got out of the chair, leaving his beer behind and exited the restaurant, standing outside as the warm sticky humid air greeted him.

His hands gripped the metal railing by the outdoor dining area, head tilted down to watch his black shirt sway in the wind. He didn’t know when but tears started to easily stream down his face as he now focused on the sharp pain twisting and curling in his heart. He lifted his left arm up to rub his wrist against his eyes to wipe away the liquid falling down his face, small sniffles being the only sound in the wind. He hated what his heart did to him, making him fall in love with someone.

Someone as perfect for him like Jongin who had been reserved by someone else. The pain of watching Jongin be with someone else was overbearing when he knew he could treat him better. It seemed to be nearly impossible at this point to continue loving him but he didn’t want to stop at the same time.

It was an unexplainable feeling that he felt, he felt a fire constantly rise in his chest in the good and bad ways. The good ways came when he was alone with Jongin, which was surprisingly often since he made it a point to be his best friend. He studied Jongin closely then since Jongin was over all wrapped into his own thoughts to not notice Chanyeol staring at him, noticing the subtle smiles in his eyes or the nose crinkle lines when he scrunched his nose.

Chanyeol also fell more in love with Jongin, he could recall when he realized he had loved him. Jongin had been quietly whining on the phone to him about how his legs hurt from working out and then dancing, to which Chanyeol said he pushed himself far too often but he knew Jongin wasn’t going to let it go. That small thing, the way Jongin is overly ambitious and has no boundaries for what he can do is what made Chanyeol realized he loved him.

Although, the qualities about Jongin were so good it was near impossible to find something he didn’t like. Then the fire consumed him in a bad way when he witnessed him with Kyungsoo. The way they kissed, held hands, whispered quiet things to each other or even how a facial expression could get what they need to say across. He didn’t hate being in love with Jongin, but he hated the timing.

He didn’t bother saying bye to them when he left. He sat in his apartment again, new gallon of ice cream as he watched the sad movie on the television. It was titled The Vow and he actually read through the subtitles this time, finding himself choked up on some parts. He was tired of this, tired of this pain, he tried distancing already and it made it worse, Chanyeol didn’t know how to make his heart stop. He wasn’t even sure if he had lost his hope of Jongin being single soon, the faltering false smiles seemed to float him farther.

 

For now he spent his time watching the couple, heart aching and mouth going bone dry when he saw them press the now chaste kisses to one another's lips. He hadn't focused on the way the kisses changed from being full forward passion into kisses that were brief kisses that seemed to lack meaning, as if it were a necessity. Chanyeol though did notice the way their hand holding became less frequent, the looks they have each other were sad ones or angry ones, and instead they were falling out of touch.

He still felt his heart hurt at seeing their touches, the kisses now still hurt him, but slowly he felt their distance. The rest of their friends did too but no one said anything to them. Chanyeol felt his heart sharp pain of want growing increasingly stronger with each passing moment as he watched Jongin and Kyungsoo. His mind told him that they weren't going to split, his mind insisted that forever is their destiny, even if the couple in front of him was falling apart with ease.

 

A month later and Chanyeol was still eating ice cream, watching sad movies. This time he switched his flavor profile to chocolate until a knock appeared on the door. He paused it, trudging over to the door and opened it to see Jongin with a large duffel bag over his shoulders, tears freely streaming now. “I-I’m sorry I showed up here without calling but we got into a fight and it’s done and I have nowhere to go. He kicked me out, and and please I’ll be out of your hair. Few weeks tops.” Jongin managed out between small hiccups and breath hitches. Chanyeol had an explosion of many emotions, happiness was very faint and it was mostly overcome with anger and sadness.

Anger at Kyungsoo for hurting his boy, sadness because seeing Jongin this sad broke his heart with ease. “Stay for as long as you want, please. No need for you to leave in a few weeks just, just come in. We’ll set up the guest bedroom for you okay?” Jongin walked in, setting the bag on the ground and threw his arms around Chanyeol, and he immediately held the younger in his arms. Squeezing him tightly to his chest as he hesitantly left a kiss to his hair, something he often thought about doing. “I’ll take care of you, Jongin. I promise.”

He meant that promise, every fiber of his body solely meant the words in those sentences. He held Jongin so tightly to him that he could feel the rapid heartbeat in the other’s chest, it seemed to be as fast as his. Jongin’s nose buried into the crook of his neck, and Chanyeol felt like this was home. Home, Jongin was home. He wanted to make sure his home was happy, healthy, smiling, he deserved nothing less than happiness and Chanyeol wanted to be the one to give it to him.

His fingers were running through the other’s hair, softly twirling it through his ends. Jongin let out a shaky breath against his skin, breathing out a small laugh. “You do so much for me, Chanyeol. I don’t think you can do more.” Chanyeol shook his head, he could easily do more but he’d have to prove to Jongin that he was worth letting him do more.

 

Jongin now was set up in the guest bedroom, it didn’t take them very long for them to clear out some of the items into some of the apartment storage compartments and Chanyeol was back on the couch, retiring the ice cream since now he didn’t feel that sad, the man he loves is single, and he could stick through his plan. Jongin sat down next to him as Chanyeol finished the sad film, tears slipping down his cheeks that Chanyeol tried to unsuccessfully hide.

Jongin looked over at him, scooting on the sofa to lean his head on his shoulder. Chanyeol felt immediately tense without meaning to, but he didn’t know what to do at this point. He felt awkward, he had been so used to holding back but now he didn’t have to so he timidly brought his arm around Jongin’s waist. Jongin though expectantly nuzzled himself into his side, making Chanyeol’s heart simply explode. “You watch a lot of sad movies. I feel like you’re lying about being happy.”

Jongin said quietly, looking up at Chanyeol. His black hair slid back against his forehead to make his head tilt back. Chanyeol noticed the tear stained look had faded, his beautiful boy looked like himself, not so sad, but it was evident in his eyes. “Are you sad?” Chanyeol asked, shifting the question onto the person who needed consoling, he didn’t need Jongin to know he watches sad movies because his heart made him fall in love with an emotionally unavailable boy. “I didn’t love him. I really didn’t. He was, mean. We got into a fight over him accusing me of cheating, accused me of some more things, slut shamed me and that's when we broke up. I’m not sad that we broke up, but I’m sad about the things he said.” Anger now boiled within him, Chanyeol’s jaw tensed up, holding Jongin slightly tighter to his body. “Did you leave anything over there?”

Chanyeol said quietly, keeping his eyes down on the others. “Yeah, I can’t get it now.” Chanyeol figured he’d go get it, he would’ve done it anyway for Jongin but now that he knows he was verbally abused, he wouldn’t let Jongin see Kyungsoo ever again. “You’re done with him right?” Jongin nodded at Chanyeol’s question, a faint smile falling onto his lips as his hand reached up to glide his fingertips along his cheek. “Yes, I am. Why?” Chanyeol laughed quietly, rubbing his side with the pad of his thumb into his waist. “I’ll get your things tomorrow, make a list. I wanted to make sure just in case I punch him.” Jongin giggled, playfully slapping Chanyeol’s chest.

“No punching. Now, we need to go to bed. I need you to stop watching sad movies and eating ice cream if you aren’t going to tell me why you’re sad.” Chanyeol smiled faintly, and could only think about how he wouldn’t be sad anymore. He may finally get his chance, and he wanted to so badly make this count. He wanted Jongin to realize that it was Chanyeol who meant for him, for him to see everything Chanyeol saw for them.

“I'm afraid the sad movies and ice cream won't stop, but I'll keep it to a minimum when you're home.” Chanyeol said absentmindedly, focused on the heat of Jongin’s head on his shoulder and small arms now wrapping around his waist. Jongin took a slight hesitant breath, tilting his head to look at the other, Chanyeol watched him lick his lips and giggle out softly. He knew that meant he was nervous, the way he giggled and flashed a shy smile.

Chanyeol wanted to kiss that smile so badly, his heart was racing and flipping rapidly in his chest at the realization of that they're just kind of cuddling here. “Home?” The other voice spoke out shyly, Chanyeol nodded and rose his hand up to very shyly run his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, you're gonna move in here, and I'll make sure you're well taken care of.” Jongin smiled shyly, a very small red color took shape onto his cheeks as he nodded, giggling once more. “Thank you.”

 

Chanyeol stood in front of Kyungsoo’s apartment, last night Jongin made him a short list of what to bring of his back home. It wasn’t much, simply put it was a few caps, dancing shoes, a jersey, a teddy bear (Chanyeol could not help himself from smiling, finding his heart simply beating twice as hard), and lastly a gift Chanyeol had gotten him. Jongin explained how the gift was hidden in the closet since Kyungsoo had been jealous of Chanyeol’s relationship with Jongin.

Chanyeol made no comment, Kyungsoo should’ve been alarmed by Chanyeol since he knew by now he must have not been subtle if the most oblivious Sehun could catch on. He knows his stares linger, he knows his goofy laughs don’t match the fond soft looks on his face when he watches the other laugh, he knew the way he acted around Jongin was more than friendly. His knuckles pressed firmly against the door and a few moments later Kyungsoo swung open the door, an audible scoff and obvious eye roll immediately came from the other. “Figures, he ran to you. Not shocked. The best friend, what do you want Chanyeol?”

Irritation simply leaked from his voice, which in turn left Chanyeol to be quite aggravated. Kyungsoo didn’t have a right to be an asshole to Chanyeol, he thought. Chanyeol may be in love with Jongin but he never once acted disrespectful and tried to tear apart their relationship, he just quietly hurt and pined to himself. “Yeah whatever, I’m getting his stuff so can you move so I can get this done?” Chanyeol snapped, crossing his arms impatiently as he held the bag in his hand to gather it in. Kyungsoo stepped aside wordlessly to let Chanyeol enter, he hadn’t been over very often, but it seemed like any trace of Jongin was gone.

Chanyeol walked over to the open bedroom until the sharp irritated voice cut him off “his room is the one across from mine.” Chanyeol quirked his eyebrows in confusion about how they didn’t sleep together in the same room. He knew the two had been roommates before they dated, so Chanyeol assumed that they just automatically slept in the same room but perhaps he was wrong. Chanyeol swerved, turning around and opened the other door to see an empty room. The bedding was gone and now at Chanyeol’s leaving an empty mattress, abandoned dressers, but just a few things scattered in the closet. Chanyeol walked over to it, taking in the smell of Jongin which was like clean linen and a light cologne whisked into one. Chanyeol loved the way Jongin smelled, so clean and handsome, it made him smile each time.

His long fingers grabbed at the caps, dropping them into the bag. “Was he cheating on me?” Kyungsoo asked, his voice was stern as he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. “No, he wasn’t. Jongin wouldn’t do that, he’s not an asshole that you for some reason think he is.” Chanyeol spat out, anger coursing through his veins at the notion of Kyungsoo thinking of Jongin negatively. “He wasn’t devoted to me, Chanyeol. He always looked like he was thinking about someone else, he may have not cheated on me but he sure would have rather been with someone else.”

Chanyeol shrugged off the words Kyungsoo said to him since he was seething about the way he thought about Jongin. “So that made you think it was okay to call him a whore?” Chanyeol’s head turned to see the smaller guy, his nonchalant look suddenly turned into a more guilt stricken one. He shook his head, giving Chanyeol an excuse to now gather up the jersey. “That wasn’t okay of me to do, no. I’m not going to be hanging around you guys anymore, I can’t see him and think about how he didn’t really think of me when we were together.” Chanyeol finally let out a dry laugh and let the words of the other soak in.

Chanyeol thought it was absolutely ludicrous for Kyungsoo to even say such a thing, he watched their relationship for the course of a year, when it was developing and when it slowly sunk into a relationship that stretched out to seven months and Jongin always looked taken. Taken and smitten by Do Kyungsoo even if he was shut down and not allowed to be himself.  Chanyeol knew that always threw Jongin off but he always looked absolutely taken by his now ex boyfriend that it made Chanyeol laugh at the absurdity of the statement. “What even made you think something that stupid?” Chanyeol had gathered the bear, and he now pulled out the matching necklaces he got Jongin for his birthday. It was fairly simple, two gold necklaces with a J an C charm adorning the both of them.

He gave it to Jongin in private, saying they could wear one another’s initials and Jongin said he would have to keep it hidden from Kyungsoo, even then. He was jealous, Jongin said, so the necklaces stayed hidden until Chanyeol opened them from the case. “He didn’t look at me the way you look at him. He kept those necklaces, thinking I wouldn’t ever know, and I’ve seen him look at them and smile at them to himself. That’s why I can say something stupid like that. I know you love him, and I don’t know how he feels about you, I don’t think I’ll ever want to know, but I just know he wasn’t devoted to me since the looks you gave him just for when he even fucking smiled, is something I never got from him since you came around.” Kyungsoo turned around, voice sounding morose as he finished his statement.

Chanyeol was left speechless, holding the box of the necklaces. He didn’t think it was possible about what Kyungsoo was saying was even slightly true. He could’ve been messing with Chanyeol but he knew Kyungsoo, and he knew the man never told a lie. He could be mean, he could be absolutely ruthless, but Do Kyungsoo was not one to lie. Chanyeol shut the case and his heartbeat was all he could hear beating in his head, flooding his head with sound and echoing.

He dropped the necklace box in his bag and walked out of the apartment, getting into his car. His head leaned against the headrest of the seat, unable to think straight. The words of Kyungsoo toppled around messily in his mind until he decided to drive home, deliver the things to Jongin, and not say anything. He didn’t want to rush Jongin out of his relationship to be with Chanyeol, he wanted to make sure this went right and despite the impatient tugs from his heart he listened to his voice of reason.

 

Chanyeol calmly entered the apartment to see Jongin focused attentively onto the TV screen, some horror movie was playing but as soon as he shut the door the fond gaze laid on him and suddenly he felt like he was the only person in the universe. The way Jongin smiled at him was so fond, unbelievably fond like Chanyeol had been his husband of twenty years and came in from a heavy shift at work. Jongin stood up now, going over to Chanyeol to take the bag and kiss his cheek.

Chanyeol’s face immediately burned at the feeling of the soft lips gently pressing into his cheek, Chanyeol wanted to so badly let his fingertips graze over the lingering kiss but he didn’t. He finally got a kiss on the cheek from Jongin, the man he’s in love with, and he couldn’t be more happy. “Thank you, it wasn’t too bad I hope.” Chanyeol walked over to the couch now clearing his throat, sitting down and letting one leg bend and his ankle rested lightly on his other knee.

“Babe, you really have to stop thanking me. It wasn’t, he was aggravating but it wasn’t too bad. He says he’s not going to hang around any of us anymore.” Jongin pulled out the necklaces, a red color hot on his cheeks as he shyly kept his eyes away from Chanyeol. “I like when you call me babe. I’m not too… shocked I guess. He really didn’t like them, and he really hated you.”

He finished the last part very quickly, he looked like he had said too much and before Chanyeol could prod, Jongin was already walking over to him with the necklace with a ‘J’ charm. “Here, um, put this on. I need to sort this out.” Jongin left quickly into his room with the bag in tow. Chanyeol didn’t quite understand what that meant, but if what Kyungsoo had said was right, his heart was now riddled with hope.

They sat on the couch together, Jongin didn’t seem particularly sad at all. Jongin in fact was excited and encouraged Chanyeol to watch anything but a sad movie. Chanyeol put on a romantic comedy, arm draped over Jongin’s shoulders as they laid out on the couch. The smaller man was in between Chanyeol’s gangly long legs, head rested on his chest and arms brought loosely around his torso. Chanyeol’s arm was over his shoulder, the other bent up to let his hand slightly rest on Jongin’s side.

The smile wouldn’t budge off his face and it’s not like he wanted it to, either. Jongin seemed very happy, happiest he had seen in a long time and it was something Chanyeol wanted to forever see. They wore their matching necklaces, and Chanyeol found himself staring at the ‘C’ charm resting around Jongin’s neck than the film on the TV.

 

He found himself now above the brink of being impatient, Jongin was going out now. Partying, finding himself all over again and getting free drinks from any guy who asked to buy him one. Three months and Jongin was already out there even though Chanyeol noted some part of him was on reserve. Their matching necklaces still on their necks didn’t deter any guy who approached Jongin, and it was driving Chanyeol mad with jealousy. Three months and someone else was trying to take Jongin from him again, and it didn’t help that on this particular night that Jongin sat next to him on the couch, talking about how some guy flirted with him.

On any other night, Chanyeol would have listened, but his heart was straining by now. It had been so restrained to stay away from the beautiful boy next to him, and now listening to the other recount his adventures with Sehun last night was doing a number on his anger and patience. It was like Jongin hadn’t noticed Chanyeol was in love with him, stupidly and pathetically in love with him. Jongin concluded his story about how he turned him down, and not even that could give Chanyeol any relief. They slept in the same bed, cuddled on the couch, gave each other lingering touches and kisses to their cheeks, noses, and foreheads.

Chanyeol now was more open with compliments and would take any route to make Jongin laugh or blush, he encouraged the other to laugh, but it wasn’t enough or maybe Chanyeol wasn’t obvious, or Jongin was simply dense. “So why did you turn him down if you took the time to tell me an in depth story?” Chanyeol snapped out, realizing he acted without thinking which made Jongin look shocked. Chanyeol’s jaw was clenched, not helping the situation at hand of how he snapped. “Chanyeol, are you okay?” Jongin asked quietly, rather shy as well. Chanyeol exhaled through his nose and decided he couldn’t take it anymore. A year and four months was too much for him, watching, being quiet, hurting every single day with hopes that were seemingly false.

“You seem so interested in him, why didn’t you just, fucking do something about it?” He knew he was instigating a fight from nothing, and it was obvious he was out of line judging by the shocked look on the others face. “I didn’t want to, you could’ve just told me you didn’t want to hear about it.” Jongin started to get up to which Chanyeol quickly acted and grabbed Jongin’s wrist. His grip was tight, but not tight enough to inflict pain or be uncomfortable.

“I didn’t want to fucking hear about it. But I hear about every single story about you turning someone down because I love you, Jongin. I’m so stupidly in love with you, and it’s dumb because you clearly don’t love me. I am better for you than Kyungsoo, I always have been and I’ve known it the whole time but I kept my mouth shut for your own fucking happiness. I’d do anything for you, I endured being absolutely miserable every damn day for you. Then you become single, and I try to make it obvious I’m into you but instead you come home, every fucking day and tell me about how you shut someone down.”

He didn’t know when it happened, but the wetness on his cheeks raised an alarm, but he kept on. “I’m so in love with you, can’t you see? God, God damn it, we’d be so perfect together, I love you so much it pains me. I don’t even care about how much pain I feel though because a life without you in it, a life without loving you, isn’t a life at all.” He finishes, voice slightly cracking as he dropped Jongin’s wrist to wipe at his eyes with the palms of his hands. His eyes were covered by his hands as he took a few breaths to relax himself, he was unsure when he started crying and how he allowed his tears to get so out of control, but he felt like he was suffocating and getting all of that out was something he needed to say so long ago.

He felt two gentle hands on his own, pulling them down away from his eyes to see Jongin with wet cheeks as well. “You love me?” He barely spoke above a whisper, Chanyeol could only nod in response with a slight sniffle to the nod. Looking anywhere but Jongin until he felt a thumb rest beneath his chin, index finger curling on it and his head was turned to look at the other. He looked so beautiful in Chanyeol’s hoodie, oversized and exposing a part of his bronze shoulder.

Jongin leaned up on his tip toes as his hands now slid to hold Chanyeol’s face, nudging his nose over the others before their lips met in a gentle, simple, soft kiss. Chanyeol felt his heart melt as his brain could only register how soft Jongin’s lips were against his own, the taste of vanilla, and ‘finally’ running through his mind. Chanyeol’s hands found Jongin’s waist and pulled him closer, their chests touching until Jongin pulled away. Laughing quietly through a sniffle as Chanyeol looked down at him with a smile.

“I love you too, Chanyeol. I turn everyone down for you.” Chanyeol now pulled Jongin into his warm embrace, large hand rested on the small of his back, the other holding Jongin’s head as if he let go, he’d lose him. Jongin’s smaller arms wrapped around Chanyeol’s neck, and finally, for the first time he felt his heart rest with happiness.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol woke up to soft kisses to the back of his neck, he grumbled quietly out of content fondness and smiled lazily, turning his head to see Jongin next to him. The necklace still around his neck but now the wedding ring adorned his finger. It was a simple band, but it had each other’s names engraved on the inside of one another’s ring along with the date of their wedding. It was a winter wedding since Chanyeol insisted that Jongin looked his best in winter, ten years of being together he should know.

They got married five years ago but the rings showing the promise of forever always made Chanyeol feel like it was like their honeymoon, waking up to see Jongin sprawled out next to him with the ring shining underneath the Fiji sun. Chanyeol owed Kyungsoo the biggest thank you, he hadn’t seen him since that day of packing up Jongin’s stuff but according to Jongin, it was him who made him see that Chanyeol was what he had always wanted.

Jongin wanted the long talks with Chanyeol at three am when he couldn’t sleep, shared laughter over a comic strip or a dumb meme no one else found funny, hand holding everywhere they went along with shared random kisses out in stores or restaurants, falling asleep together on the couch during a movie that then proceeded to the bed, lazy fucking in the morning or rough sex at night, make out sessions in the shower or while Jongin was cooking and Chanyeol stood behind him with his head on his shoulder. Mutual compliments, mutual smiles, mutual looks of fondness, mutual wants for intimacy, mutual love.

Jongin knew after Chanyeol came around, he wanted more of Chanyeol and turns out he was more than everything Jongin asked for. They both had gotten what they wanted, their rings stared them in the face of how they gotten exactly what they wanted.  Chanyeol pressed a gentle sweet kiss to Jongin’s lips, placing an extra soft one to his bottom lip with a faint nip to it that made Jongin let out his sweet giggle. Chanyeol smiled, lifting his hand to run it through Jongin’s hair. His heart was right about everything, even the timing. Jongin was always his, he just didn’t know.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry for making kyungsoo like this but i love this fic so much im hurt
> 
> ps, i don't edit any of my work so if there's typos, c'est la vie.


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